Edo Unveils Statewide HPV Vaccination Drive to Curb Cervical Cancer Among Girls
The Edo state government has commenced the sensitization programme and continuous routine administration of the HPV Vaccine in all Primary Health Centres (PHCs) across the state and other designated health facilities, to effectively implement its plans.
The Executive Secretary of Edo State Primary Health Care Development Agency (EDPHCDA), Dr. Coulson Osoikhia, represented by the state Immunization Officer (SIO), Mrs. Omogun Elfrida, disclosed this during a stakeholders’ engagement held in Benin city.
He noted that the routine administration of the vaccine will be outreach-based at health facilities and once a week, over a period of twelve weeks.
In his address, Dr. Osoikhia stated that the exercise will be for two days respectively in the first two weeks to make up for the lapse, as the exercise was starting behind schedule. He urged parents, guardians and caregivers to take advantage of the time to vaccinate their nine years old daughters.
Amongst other objectives of the convention, Dr. Osoikhia stated that participants would be sensitized on the HPV vaccination in Nigeria, with particular reference to its benefits and safety profile. Also, potential roles and responsibilities of stakeholders in the state would be identified, with regards to the vaccination, all geared towards the successful implementation of the vaccination exercise in Edo state.
Also speaking at the event, the Edo State Coordinator of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), Ighodaro Osawe, urged stakeholders to use all platforms at their disposal to disseminate the information on the safety and necessity of the HPV vaccine, emphasizing that stakeholders’ collaboration has proven to be a notable contributor to the success of vaccination exercises.
He called on traditional and religious leaders, Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and other stakeholders to amplify messages on the benefits of the vaccine.
Similarly, the state Health Education Officer (EDPHCDA), Mrs. Irene Uabor, underscored the importance of the stakeholders’ engagement in the state. She recalled that the state organized a campaign to introduce the vaccine in 2024, for female children of nine years.
She noted that the vaccine is to prevent cervical cancer caused by HPV in the girl child, describing it as the only vaccine that prevents such, adding that there has been the prevalence of such cancer in the state and the country at large. She asserted that healthy adults in the society are as a result of safe vaccination, which they had at childhood, advising that beyond the intensification exercise of October to December, 2025, the vaccine can be accessed at all times in all PHCs and Health facilities.
